CALIFORNIA APPEAL

Home Office vs. Traditional Office

Which Office Is Right For You?

When setting up an appellate practice, many attorneys are faced with the daunting question of whether to have a typical "law office" with all of the required overhead expenses, or to maintain a home office.  For many, the stigma of having a P.O. Box as an office address coupled with worries about security, mail collection, and lack of available support have scared people away from the home office alternative. 

Enter the Virtual Office.  A virtual office provides a wide range of services for home based attorneys.  While still working at home, you can have your mail sent to the virtual office.  They can sign for packages, allow use of conference rooms, and even provide some light administrative support.  Carolyn Elefant (Myshingle.com) provides a great link to an article from the Chicago Business Leader (11/20/06) that gives an overview of the costs and services of HQ Global, one of the larger competitors in the virtual office space arena.

So, if you were struggling between home office vs traditional office, there may be an alternative out there for you. 

Managing the Paper Piles

Paper Paper Paper - Tame That Paper Tiger

Ross Kodner and Dale Cottam produced a great article on how to tackle those piles of paper in your office.  With a few simple tools, Ross shows you how easy it is to free yourself of volumous paper trial transcripts, review briefs electronically, and orgainze your files.  The purchase of my Xerox ScanSnap was one of the best purchases I made last year.  Everything that comes into my office is scanned.  Having transcripts and case files stored electronically makes working on the road a snap and has eliminated storage problems at my office.

10 Tips For Oral Argument

"[Y]our oral argument on appeal is perhaps the most effective weapon you have got."  - Justice Harlan of the Second Circuit Court of Appeal.  The following 10 Tips for effective oral arguments have been attributed to John W. Davis, an attorney who argued more than 140 cases before the U.S. Supreme Court.

1. Change places with the judge.
2. Make yourself heard.
3. State the history of the case.
4. State the facts with candor.
5. Go for the jugular.
6. Rejoice when the Court asks questions.
7. Read sparingly and only from necessity.
8. Avoid personalities.
9. Know your record from cover to cover.
10. Sit down.

Appellate CLE In SF

Appellate Law & Practice CLE - San Francisco - 12/8/2006

This program is designed for Appellate specialists, In-house counsel who supervise appeals, Civil trial lawyers and counseling attorneys.  Both defense and plaintiff perspective will be explored.  The faculty will discuss what works and doesn’t work from both sides of the bench. The program includes breakfasts, handouts and access to leaders in this rapidly growing area of law. Topics include:

• Preserving the Record for Appeal and Staying Enforcement of the Judgment
• Appellate Ethics
• Practical Tips from the Clerk’s Office
• Brief writing: What works and what doesn’t
• Effective Appellate Advocacy using Electronic Briefs
• Oral Arguments

Faculty: Elliot Bien of Bien & Summers, Amy Margolin of Howard Rice, Steven Hirsch of Kecker Van Nest, Karin Kramer of Howrey, Dan Bromberg of Quinn Emannual,  Dennis Haserot, National Data Support and more.

Credit: MCLE: This course will qualify for 6 hours of CLE credits

Seminar Details: For additional seminar information: http://reconferences.com/appellate.htm
Location: JW Marriott Hotel located at  500 Post Street (new location)

Time:  9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m
To Register: http://www.reconferences.com

How Do I Find An Attorney?

How Do I Find An Appellate Lawyer?

It is important to be represented by an attorney with appellate experience and the skills to properly present arguments to the Court of Appeal.  Unfortunately, finding a good appellate attorney is not always easy. Here are some suggestions:

Referrals - Because the skills needed for trial work are very different from the skills needed for appellate work, your trial counsel will generally not handled your appeal; however, they may be able to suggest a competent appellate attorney.

Local Bar Association:  Many county bar associations operate lawyer referral services.  These services help connect people with attorneys qualified to handle their legal matter.   Check out the programs offered by the San Diego County Bar Association, Los Angeles County Bar Association, San Francisco County Bar Association. 

Certified Legal Specialists — The State Bar maintains a list of attorneys who are certified specialists in particular areas of law. A list of Certified Legal Specialists can be found on the State Bar's Web site

When To File?

When Should I file An Appeal?
There are strict time limits for filing a notice of appeal. After a felony criminal conviction, a notice of appeal must be filed within 60 days from the judgment date.  Appeals in civil matters must be filed between 30 and 60 days from the judgment depending upon the type of civil matter.

Generally, once the time to file an appeal has passed, the Court will not permit a defendant to file a late notice of appeal. An exception to this general rule can exist in criminal cases where the time to file a notice of appeal passed despite te defendant's best efforts to file his/her appeal in a timely manner. 

If you or a loved one want to appeal a superior court judgment (criminal or civil), it is essential to act immediately to protect your appellate rights.  Consult with either your trial attorney or an appellate attorney to make sure that your notice of appeal is timely filed.

Good LPM Sites

Searching for a Law Practice Management site? Here are three great LPM blogs that will help you get your practice humming.

• Jim Calloway's Law Practice Tips (http://jimcalloway.typepad.com)
• Reid My Blog (http://reidtrautz.typepad.com/reidmyblog)
• Law Tech Guru (http://www.lawtechguru.com/) 

Ten Time Management Tips

Overwhelmed with all that needs to be done? I recently read a time management 10-step list that makes it sound so easy to get a handle on everything that life throws you. These 10-steps were prepared by Krissi Danielsson.

Step 1 - Get started
Step 2 - Set clear goals and objectives
Step 3 - Keep an activity log
Step 4 - Handle E-mail and phone calls in batches
Step 5 - Divide larger tasks into groups of smaller ones
Step 6 - Prioritize tasks
Step 7 - Set aside chunks of time to do nothing
Step 8 - Don't overwork yourself
Step 9 - Learn when to say no
Step 10 - Know when you need time management help!

During the next few weeks, I will explore each step. Give me your thoughts.

Prison Resources

Ken Strutin (JD, MLS), the author of The Insider's Guide: Criminal Justice Resources on the Internet, posted an incredible listing of resources about prisons, the people who occupy them, legal and social services for inmates and their families, issues related to incarceration and reentry, and human rights behind bars. The focus of his listing is on selected web resources and online publications.

LLRX.com - Criminal Justice Resources: Prisoners' Rights and Resources on the Web